Artemisine MedicinesWhy children need their own malaria medicines
Children under five account for the large majority of malaria deaths. Their treatment is not simply "smaller tablets": doses must match body weight precisely, and the medicine must be in a form a child can actually take.
Dosing is by weight, not age
WHO sets target doses in mg per kg of body weight for every antimalarial. Products are then packaged in weight bands — for example different tablet counts or suspension volumes for a 8 kg toddler versus a 20 kg child. Two 2026 guideline points buyers should know:
- Infants under 5 kg with uncomplicated malaria should receive an ACT at the same mg/kg target dose as 5 kg children; a new artemether-lumefantrine formulation (ratio 1:12) for this group gained regulatory approval in 2025.
- For severe malaria, children under 20 kg need 3 mg/kg artesunate per dose — more per kg than adults (2.4 mg/kg) — to achieve equivalent exposure.
The formulation toolkit
- Oral suspensions (artemether, artesunate): accurate mg/5 mL strengths, easy for infants and toddlers, the everyday workhorse of pediatric uncomplicated malaria.
- Rectal suppositories (artesunate 100 mg): for children with suspected severe malaria who are vomiting, unconscious, or far from a clinic — a pre-referral bridge until injections are available.
- Dispersible / crushed tablets: some ACT tablets can be dispersed in water for older children.
Procurement checklist for pediatric lines
- Match suspension strength and bottle size to your program's weight bands.
- Stock rectal artesunate for community health workers in remote areas.
- Confirm palatability data and dosing devices (syringe/spoon) are included.
Source: summarised in plain language from the WHO Guidelines for Malaria (10 September 2026), World Health Organization. This guide is for buyer education only — clinical decisions must follow the locally approved product insert and national treatment guidelines.
